COLOUR FLOW How to perfect the flow of different colours throughout a home

• Published date: 28 September 2022
• Publication title: Stratford Press

There’s no reason why we should adhere to only one colour in an entire home when there is a chance to get creative. Bright and punchy, dark and moody or subtle and muted, whatever your preference, a series of colours will bring interest and life

With each room serving a different purpose, bedrooms and living rooms are for relaxing in, bathrooms should be sanctuaries, kitchens are places for entertaining and activity, storage rooms and toilets are where we spend the least of our time. Many of us want our rooms to feel a little different from each other.

Start by treating your home as an empty canvas; what colours make your heart sing? Take this as your inspiration — what better colours to surround yourself in each day? Think of a favourite season and the colours it evokes or focus on a favourite artwork and the tones that work together. Choose your colours from there.

Once you have a selection of your preferred colours, lay them on a table, in room order, to see how the colours flow. This is easier than trying to picture them in your mind.

When you’re standing in your hallway or living area, what other rooms can you see? What is your sightline? Whatever colours you see in surrounding rooms need to be cohesive with your hallway colour. The hues need to work together to provide visual continuity and, as a result, bring a pleasant feeling that runs smoothly from room to room. If they don’t, the home will feel messy and cluttered.

Resene colour consultant Amy Watkins recommends using the same colour tones, not necessarily the same depth, in an open-plan living area or joint space, such as a hallway leading to a kitchen. “In a villa, you might have an archway dividing a hallway that leads to a living area. Here is a chance to go dark in the hallway, with Resene Grey Chateau. Then use a lighter colour, Resene Iron in the living room or bedrooms. The surrounding colours don’t have to be from the same colour family. There is enough separation between the dark hallway and neighbouring rooms to create a sense of division.”

The key, Amy says, is that the trims throughout the house stay in the same tone. Don’t introduce a new colour trim in each room of the house. “In the bedrooms, keep the same colour trim that you have in the living room and hallway.” Save selecting your trim for when you have decided on what colour to put on each wall. A fresh white may only suit some of the richer colours you’ve chosen, so choosing your trims last allows you to see what trim...